Chapter 97, Awehai Summary and Analysis

The Iroquois people of the northeastern United States offer this explanation of how the earth was formed. In the times before there were people on earth, there were other beings in other worlds. Among these beings is the woman Awehai, her husband, and another man. The husband unjustly accuses Awehai of loving the other man more. He uproots the tree at the center of the world, creating a giant chasm, and throws the innocent woman to her death. Awehai falls though the great dark hole and as she falls, grasps at seeds and beavers, otters and toads. She falls until the endless ocean of another world spreads out below her. Winged creatures softly catch Awehai and set her on top of the Great Turtle. The beavers, otters, and toads gather the dirt from the uprooted tree. They press the...